Alton Housing Authority continues plan for single-family homes

ALTON — The Alton Housing Authority continues on its route to construct five single-family homes off Toledo Avenue, obtaining city building permits last month and continuing to tweak building plans.

At Tuesday’s monthly meeting of the Board of Commissioners, AHA Interim Executive Director Greg Denton said the agency previously was obligated to pay 60 percent of the costs of building the houses, for three of the five homes. Madison County Community Development then would cover the remaining 40 percent of expenses for its two homes.

“We’ve reworked it so we are responsible for 56 percent and the county pays for 44 percent because their houses are bigger,” he said. “Things are looking good on that, everything is looking good.” Denton said after adjusting building plans to keep within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s HCC (Housing Construction Costs), the houses still may have brick on the exteriors.

“We also may get detached garages,” he said. “We have $48,000 in contingency so I would like to hold off on that. We may end up with them or may not. I’d like to wait.”

Denton’s monthly report says the architect, AHA representatives and contractor have gotten cost of building three homes to $463,992, or $154,664 per house, close to HUD’s limit at $433,494 or $144,498 per home. MCCD is paying for construction of the other two houses.

The initial two construction bids came in higher than budget in May, at $1,274,000 and $1,100,000, from Jun Construction and Morrissey Construction, both of Godfrey. As a result, the AHA revised the plans and rebid the project, with Morrissey again submitting a low bid. The AHA, though, negotiated the cost down to $603,000 for three, two-bedroom houses. MCCD, in turn, will pay Morrissey $407,000 to build two, three-bedroom homes.

The August report from the Alton Department of Building and Zoning says the AHA obtained building permits on Aug. 21 for single family homes at 2701, 2703, 2705, 2707 and 2709 Toledo Ave., with all but the last residence having construction value of $127,000; the listed value for 2709 Toledo Ave. is $129,000. The AHA figures include architect fees and other non-construction costs.

The AHA owns the sites, on which now demolished, multi-family housing had sat near Oakwood Estates housing complex.

The only action the panel took was to vote on combined resolutions that gave approval to remove Andy Hightower, former executive director, as a check signor and replace him with Denton; and to renew two certificates of deposit with CNB Bank and Trust that mature Sept. 16.

Regarding the search for a new executive director, AHA Attorney Cliff Emons said he advertised for the position in two national publications. “I received two resumes,” he said. “We must advertise for 30 days, and the deadline is the 28th (September). We will meet before that.” Besides Emons, Commissioners Doug Martin Sr. and Diana Williams are on the search committee.

Hightower resigned from the AHA effective Aug. 19 to become executive director of the Madison County Housing Authority.